An ant, walking on a piece of paper, saw the pen writing and began to praise the pen. Another ant, which was more keen-sighted, said, "Praise the fingers, for I deem this accomplishment to proceed from them." Another ant, more clear-sighted than either, said, "I praise the arm, for the fingers are a branch of the arm," et cetera.

مورکی بر کاغذی دید او قلم ** گفت با مور دگر این راز هم

A little ant saw a pen (writing) on a paper, and told this mystery to another ant,

که عجایب نقشها آن کلک کرد ** هم‌چو ریحان و چو سوسن‌زار و ورد

Saying, “That pen made wonderful pictures like sweet basil and beds of lilies and roses.”

گفت آن مور اصبعست آن پیشه‌ور ** وین قلم در فعل فرعست و اثر

The other ant said, “That artist is the finger, and this pen is actually (no more than) the derivative (instrument) and the sign.”

گفت آن مور سوم کز بازوست ** که اصبع لاغر ز زورش نقش بست

A third ant said, “It is the work of the arm, by whose strength the slender finger depicted it.”

هم‌چنین می‌رفت بالا تا یکی ** مهتر موران فطن بود اندکی3725

In this fashion it (the argument) was carried upward till a chief of the ants, (who) was a little bit sagacious,

گفت کز صورت مبینید این هنر ** که به خواب و مرگ گردد بی‌خبر

Said, “Do not regard this accomplishment as proceeding from the (material) form, which becomes unconscious in sleep and death.

صورت آمد چون لباس و چون عصا ** جز به عقل و جان نجنبد نقشها

Form is like a garment or a staff: (bodily) figures do not move except by means of intellect and spirit.”

بی‌خبر بود او که آن عقل و فاد ** بی ز تقلیب خدا باشد جماد

He (the wise ant) was unaware that without the controlling influence of God that intellect and heart (mind) would be inert.

یک زمان از وی عنایت بر کند ** عقل زیرک ابلهیها می‌کند

If He withdraw His favour from it for a single moment, the acute intellect will commit (many) follies.

چونش گویا یافت ذوالقرنین گفت ** چونک کوه قاف در نطق سفت3730

When Dhu ’l-Qarnayn found it (Mount Qáf) speaking, he said, after Mount Qáf had bored the pearls of speech,

کای سخن‌گوی خبیر رازدان ** از صفات حق بکن با من بیان

“O eloquent one, who art wise and knowest the mystery, expound to me the Attributes of God.”

گفت رو کان وصف از آن هایل‌ترست ** که بیان بر وی تواند برد دست

It answered, “Go, for those qualities are too terrible for (oral) exposition to put its hand on them,

یا قلم را زهره باشد که به سر ** بر نویسد بر صحایف زان خبر

Or for the pen to dare inscribe with its point information concerning them on the pages (of books).”